The High-Wizard's Hunt - By Ashley Delay Page 0,13
weep and lay outside. That man there,” he pointed at Macgowan, “has beaten every Vigile that has asked him to go home. He’s gone mad, Sir. Mirdren is with the healers now. Macgowan beat him nearly to death when he tried to take his flower and send him home. They are harmless enough when left alone, and people toss them scraps on their way to rebuilding the palace. Perhaps leaving them alone is the best idea?”
Osric could see Dru’s apprehension, and hear it in his voice. He understood that the recruit was terrified to approach the intimidating man, especially after he had assaulted several Vigiles, but Osric could not allow his people to be neglected.
“They make you uncomfortable?” Osric repeated, outraged. “How do you think they feel? Their lives have been completely upheaved by an unexplainable attack on the one place they were supposed to be safe! They have lost their loved ones, and for some of them, that was all they had. Dru, I do not want you to ask them to leave, I want you to build them a shelter, here!” Osric glared at the shy man’s shocked expression. “Get some men to help you. You will feed them, shelter them, and make sure they are warm and comfortable. Provide them with firewood and show them that we share in their grief, while demonstrating that there is still good in the world and, perhaps, even something worth living for.” He watched as Dru looked nervously at the group again and added, “Dru, it was our duty to protect these people, right?”
“Yes, Sir.” Dru stared down at the ground, ashamed.
“Well,” Osric took a deep breath and looked out at them, “we failed them, and this is the result. Though there was no way for us to prevent it, we bear at least some of the responsibility for that failure and their loss. We cannot hope to restore their faith in us without helping them to find some hope again.” The young recruit was eyeing Macgowan again, and Osric sensed his fear with the Empath gift he had gained from Bridgett. “Dru, I will not ask that any of the men go near Macgowan. I will take care of him myself, but I want to see Vigiles down here working harder than any of these people laboring on the palace. I want to see these men being helped, rather than tolerated. Do you understand?”
Dru nodded in agreement and set out to gather the Vigiles as he had been ordered. Osric looked at Kenneth and they moved together toward the market. He had an idea, but he needed to get something before he approached Macgowan. A few houses out from the market district, he found what he was looking for in a window sill. Osric politely explained the situation to the woman at the door, and she was more than happy to provide him with what he wanted.
Osric approached Macgowan with compassion and placed a hand gently on his large shoulder. “Macgowan,” he spoke softly as the vapor clouded the crisp air from the sleeping man’s breath. He didn’t wake, so Osric gave him a light shake and spoke again. Finally, Macgowan’s eyes drifted open and Osric held a handful of daisies out before him. Tears fell from his eyes as he took the flowers, and he looked up to see tears in Osric’s eyes in greeting.
“I won’t move,” his low rumbling voice was calm, yet firm enough to make sure Osric understood, “so please don’t ask.”
“We won’t ask you to move, but some men are going to be erecting a shelter here. They will have hot water to bathe, as well as fire, food, and blankets. If you ask any one of them, they will fetch you some clean clothing.”
Macgowan’s face turned upward as he examined Osric’s eyes. Understanding passed between them and Macgowan nodded in response. Osric stood, knowing that no one would be threatened by the grieving man again, and he vowed to himself that Macgowan would have fresh daisies every day, even if he had to grow and spell them himself to keep them in bloom during the winter’s chill.
He felt a bit better as he set out to meet Toby. Though a few tears still ran down his cheek, a sense of accomplishment flowed through him knowing that those in mourning would be looked after. Walking in the cool air, Osric finally allowed himself to be invigorated by being home. It was a small kindness, but